HARUNO CURSE
by lonedaisy
Summary: She disappeared without a trace five years ago leaving a confused and sad team mate.Five years later,she's standing before him.Just a drabble that could evolve into something romantic with time.Lemme know what you think.


**HARUNO CURSE**

A pair of sky blue eyes stared into the green eyes he had loved for over eight years, loved for their flamboyant change in temperament, comical wit and genuine care.But these eyes were different,almost indifferent to seeing him. His voice found him, "Sakura –Chan…"

It had been five years since she had disappeared after Akatsuki's invasion on Konoha, her body never recovered after the intense battle. It had torn him apart that she had disappeared without a trace, her existence wiped like a clean slate and yet she was standing before him alive, his close friend and former team mate. Where had she been all these years? What had happened to her? Was he imagining this? So many questions hung in the air that moment as he continued to stare into those unfeeling jade eyes but he realized that staring at her wouldn't give him answers, "Sakura- chan, you dyed your hair."

'What the hell? That wasn't supposed to be the question,' he thought angrily as he ransacked his brain for the one he wanted to ask but she replied before he could get round to asking his real question.

"Who are you talking about?"

She was very poised as she stood over Naruto; it took all of her will to keep from breaking into a grin at the sight of his jaw dropping to her answer. Five years was a long time, a long time of seclusion from her family and most important of all her friends, her team but then it had been for the best. Constantly in the shadow of Sasuke and Naruto, she was as plain as day except for her medical skills. Medicine had been her outlet but she needed to surpass her shisou if not for her satisfaction but to prove that little pink haired Sakura wasn't the weak link in this equation. Knowing Tsunade wouldn't grant her permission to leave, she planned, pulled immoral and forbidden strings to disappear and wipe her memory from Konoha forever and yet here she was standing before her close friend and he could still recognize her or maybe he thought he had. She was sure the jutsu had left little traces of resemblance, her hands were worn and the green nail polish was peeling off giving off the impression that she was a manual worker, she had two green plaster marks on her left cheek. Her hair colour had changed to black and fell down to her shoulders but was pulled back into a loose ponytail; black, a colour of indifference that never stood out, 'I have no need to have such an outstanding hair colour.' She was also positive that her eye colour had changed to a warm brown and her protruding forehead had been dealt with so why was Naruto acting like he had seen right through her? The cherry blossom of Konoha was dead and she would stay that way even it was the last thing she did. It seemed like Naruto was a bit embarrassed because he started rubbing the back of his head and smiled that apologetic grin of his, whisker face marks standing out. She had missed him, missed his comical remarks. Some days she would talk to the stars linking her message to him but to him and everyone else, Sakura Haruno was dead.

"I'm sorry. You just look like someone I know or should I say once knew," he embarrassedly replied. He had refused to believe that she was dead, she was a strong medic-nin but most of all a strong woman; how could she just disappear like the wind? But this girl before him clad in a brown cloak and Sandogasa was the spitting image of her except for the black tint of her hair and green plaster marks. Maybe he was just hallucinating, he had been searching for her for years with no clues to go on and even a slight resemblance got him excited; everybody pitied him. Everyone on Team Kakashi had deviated and moved on except for him; it frustrated him so many times as he stared at their genin photo on his dresser whenever he was home. On some nights as he stared at the stars lying on his bed with the window open, he could swear he heard Sakura talking to him telling him about her day before sleep took over. He refused to let any of the other Team's concerned remarks about him wallowing in sorrow get to him; he knew he would find her some day even if it was the last thing he did.

"Its alright.Excuse me." She curtly retorted as she inched past the shinobi who had fallen as he tried to catch up with her after she had passed him along the street. Konoha didn't need another commotion; her calling was outside these walls. The only reason she had passed by the main gate, looked at Kotetsu and Izumo confidently in the eye and signed the village registry as Mei Takumi was to replenish her dwindling stock of deer antlers which the Nara family were skilled at getting; old memories didn't barrage as one those on the to-do-list of the day. She looked at the Hokage monument, particularly at her shisou's carving, she wondered whether she had disappointed her but knowing Tsunade- Sama, she would kill her with her own two hands if she returned not only at such short notice but alive. She was like an elder sister and mother rolled into one; her disappearance must have caused enough confusion and she wouldn't bring it all back but this little trip had already started pulling some confusing unsatisfactory results.

The pharmacy was empty except for the familiar old lady behind the counter she had befriended years before when she was still a Konoha medic-nin; smilingly she handed her the package which she indifferently took and paid for and waited as the lady went to get her change. A familiar chakra presence known for his genius and tact was nearing the establishment and her mind froze. 'To stay or not to stay?' her mind pondered.

"Oba-sama, you can keep the change.Arigato," she said as she held the package to her chest and calmly walked out just as the young dark-haired shinobi walked in through the door temporarily bumping her as she made her way out. 'I have to get out of here. I don't know how much longer the jutsu will last,' she mumbled under her breath as she broke into a run several yards away.

Shikamaru had been surprised by the sudden appearance of the Sandogasa wearing young man who had hastily left the store, a few inches close and he might have thrown him off his feet. He had tried to apologize but by the time he gained his composure, he had already broken into a run and was several yards away. He didn't bother waving the matter off as too troublesome as he continued into the pharmacy; his father had asked him to get the stock report for the antlers. He smiled warmly at the old lady across the counter who was like a grandmother to him, "Morning, oba-chan."

"Morning, Shi-chan," she replied with equal warmth.

"Dad sent me to get the stock report but that can wait. How are you?"

"Hahaha, always the one to keep your parents waiting, huh? I'm well. Would you like to have a cup of tea while I get it together for you?"

"If it's not too much trouble, Oba-chan."

"It's never too much trouble when it comes to you, Shi-chan," she replied before pulling his cheek from across the counter which earned her a blush from the young shinobi who rubbed his cheek in embarrassment as he made his way round the counter to the back room tailing the old lady.

The main gate was in view as she raced down the street careful not to make any unnecessary movements to attract any attention to herself. She approached the two clearly exhausted shinobi and just as she had done before signed the register to leave the village armed with her precious replenishment. She made a safe distance between the village and herself before she channeled chakra into her feet and leapt into the forest steadily making her way back to her camp close to the fire country border. She noticed that the worn hands had already turned back into the soft and dainty ones she had acquired over the years as a result of not being engaged in battle. There was no need to rush, she slowed her pace and stopped by the river to see how much she had changed. Her reflection took note of the change in the colour of her eyes and trademark forehead that had earned her ridicule and bullying as a child. 'It looks like it can hold out for an hour and a half at least,' she said to herself. The clear water looked so inviting but she knew better than to put herself in a tight spot should someone come across her; so resolving to wash her face instead, she reached in and cupping her hands and splashed some of the cool haven onto her face hoping its purity would rid her of the guilt of seeing him again with happiness in his eyes only to be replaced with disappointment; disappointment that she had caused and festered.

**BACK IN KONOHA**

Naruto walked stupefied down the street kicking at the little pebbles that were in his way, he was sure that he had seen her that morning. Aside from the fact that she didn't meet Sakura's physical attributes but her eyes were Sakura's no doubt about it; even though she didn't give off any sense of chakra. Maybe he was just hallucinating? And that's why he was walking towards the apartment of the one man who would understand his plight though he tended to act like he didn't.

He knocked twice and a voice called from inside asking the person to let themselves in which he did. His former sensei sat at his desk writing a report clad in undershirt with his trademark mask and black pants; he made himself comfortable on the made bed pulling his forearm to cover his eyes to hide the pain he felt. Kakashi having sensed his chakra even before he knocked his door turned and stared at the blonde shinobi. Naruto only came to him if he was troubled and it became even more evident ever since Sakura's disappearance. He couldn't blame him; while he was pursuing one team mate trying to bring him back, he had failed to see the one closest to him drifting and he had failed as a sensei to keep them together, to acknowledge that they both needed each other to bring Sasuke back. Looking at his former student earnestly who was shielding his eyes from the sunlight and most likely the world as well,he waited for an explanation for his visit but no answers were forthcoming after almost two minutes of silence so he broke the silence first, "What happened?"

"I saw Sakura-chan today," his voice carried so much emotion and Kakashi wasn't sure whether it was the answer or the way it was answered that got him alert.

"Naruto, Sakura is missing. She has been for five years. You need to ju…" the sight of a lone tear falling from underneath the young shinobi's arm where his eyes were hidden left the next words hung in the air.

"Kakashi-sensei, I saw her with my own two eyes. But she was different."

"Different? How so?" Kakashi implored desperately seeking for answers that might answer the barrage of questions in his mind

"She didn't look like her at all but she had her eyes and she should have been about the same age as her. I don't know whether I found her or I just wanted to believe it was her."

Kakashi sighed as he stared at Naruto who then turned to his side, he obviously wanted to be alone but didn't want to be alone as well and the only person that knew him well was he, himself. He had his doubts about Sakura's disappearance as well but everywhere they went, they hit dead ends and they were no clues as to any of her whereabouts. 'Five years is a long time to disappear, isn't it? Naruto?' he thought to himself. The memory of the night of her disappearance were clearly etched in his mind; everyone was engaged in battle trying to hold off Akatsuki from capturing Naruto and harming the villagers in the process. Sakura's hands were full healing many of the injured according to Ino who was working by her side the entire time. A bloody cherry blossom fell onto the back of her hands that were healing an injured chuunin when she started shaking and screaming; she pulled her hands away from the injured area and clutched her head in agony. Ino worriedly ran to her side trying to calm her down and was almost thrown yards away by her best friend when she tried to push her away. What happened next would be classified as top secret information as he shivered at the thought of how much agony Sakura must have gone through. It still hurt him to watch Naruto hold onto his desire to see her and find her. If it really was her, he wondered why she had come back.

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**A/N: An obvious drabble,still not sure which pairing to focus on but i think this indicates a little NaruSaku.Not sure whether to continue or not but one thing's for sure,I pulled out all my sorrowful feelings to write this****  
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** Much love and thanks for your support for ALL I HAVE.**


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